Where those associated with Western films from around the world are laid to rest.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

RIP Albert Nalbandian

San Francisco Chronicle

May 14, 2017

San Francisco
lost one of its legends this week, a true character who contributed to the
tapestry and folklore of our city by the bay. Born at St. Francis Memorial
Hospital on September 15th, 1921, Albert Nalbandian was a native son, through
and through. His father, an Armenian immigrant to the US from the Ottoman Empire,
established Paul's Flowers in 1915 and created a new beginning for his 3
children, of which Albert was his eldest. Their sidewalk flower stand, a simple
vessel for delivering beauty to the average passerby, paved the way for over a
century of purpose and inspiration for the Nalbandian family. Albert was tapped
in from the start, becoming a fixture at his father's flower stand at a young
age. Undeniably, he felt the pulse of this city's heartbeat as he was inspired
to expand the business and take over the flower stand at the corner of Stockton and Geary
Streets, the I.Magnin flower stand, named after the iconic department store.

Over the years, he became an institution with his magnetic personality and
boundless energy. He served his customers for over 70 years on that street
corner, looking and observing with big eyes, delivering beauty and purpose
every day. A graduate of USF with a major in Philosophy, Albert was active in
his university's drama department. His love of an audience grew undeniable as
he performed in stage plays around the city. Through his years, Al was drawn to
Hollywood, and amassed a formidable collection of screen acting credits over
the years, from "The Conversation", to "American Graffiti",
"So I Married an Axe Murderer" to "Once a Thief", among
many many others. His love of all things Armenian led him to make nearly 20
yearly trips to the USSR during the cold war years, as he took medical supplies
and gifts to those in need year after year. He was featured in the June 1978
issue of National Geographic among notable Armenian-Americans, and was a
frequent subject of local papers, appearing in Herb Caen's and Carl Nolte's
column, among others.

He lived a life rich in so many ways, and was active in his business until the
very end, showing us strength of spirit, longevity and determination on the
stage of an ever-changing world and an ever-changing San Francisco.

He passed away peacefully at the age of 95, on Tuesday May 9th, 2017. Albert is
survived by his wife Aida, his two daughters Elizabeth and Louise, his
son-in-law Patrick, and his granddaughters Sofia and Alexandria. Services will be held on Friday
May 19th at 12:30pm, at St.
John's Armenian Apostolic Church.

About Me

Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1946 I have a BA degree in American History from Cal St. Northridge. I've been researching the American West and western films since the early 1980s and visiting filming sites in Spain and the U.S.A. Elected a member of the Spaghetti Western Hall of Fame 2010.